really slow lately

It's been really slow lately.  And I suppose, you all should have sort of gathered that, based on the posts about how everyone's canceling, backing out, asking about a cage for sale and then finding one elsewhere.  Had another guy call and want to come that day, to look at chins with his kid.  My parents were here helping me trim the trees, and I told him, not a good day.  He said the next day would be fine, and he'd save my number and call me.  Surprise, no call.  Had someone ask about a rabbit cage.  I have a nice sized one at the moment.  They found one elsewhere.  I never even mentioned price, just the size.  I had a nice lady asking about coming to adopt a guinea pig, wanted to bring her kid.  Well, her kid ended up getting sick, and she said she'd call and reschedule.  She never did.   The next day, I had someone come by and want to adopt all the baby guinea pigs, and I let them.  And I'm glad I didn't wait on the first lady, cause this is weeks later and she's never called back. Or I just got an email in response to the rabbit ad I have up right now -- "I'd like to just adopt the black and brown bunny."  Funny, because I just opened the ad and it says, "They can only be adopted out as a pair."  *sigh*

And that's everyone.  And on the other side of the equation, I have had people on my waiting list waiting..... wait for it.... 7 MONTHS to bring their chins in, because I don't have any room. 

Not to mention the orders from people who want something, I tell them, it will be at least a few weeks, and they say, oh yeah, that's fine.  So it's a few weeks before I get to theirs, I make their order, and they fall off the face of the earth.  After I've spent several days just on their order.

And finally, not to mention the rescue account.  Prior to this slow time, we had roughly $4-5,000 in the chin account.  This was nice, because it covered small and large vet bills, it covered if we needed to stay in a hotel for an expo, etc etc.  Well, with no adoptions and super limited supply sales and everyone backing out of their adoption and supply sale, we're now down below $1000 and it's still dropping.

I'm not working right now.  I can barely afford my own mortgage and bills, and I just got a notice from my bank that I've made "excessive transfers" from my savings to my other accounts (I dunno, to pay the bills and mortgage?  naaaaaaah).  If the rescue runs out of money, I do not have the money to support it right now.

I don't know why adoptions are super slow.  I usually tell people, they go in waves.  And they do.  Sometimes we have none, sometimes we have 5 people coming in a week.  Lately we've had next to no one coming.  Or the people who are coming are coming for $3 worth of hay.  I had someone say, discount everything even more.  Problem is, the chins are already on sale, the cages are already on sale.  If people can't afford $65 for a grey chin, but $50 is affordable, I'd hate to think what would happen come time for them to spend money on vet care.  Plus, the lower prices go, the less things pay for.  I could sell every cage I have if I lowered them all to $20.  But then, that $80, from selling all of them, wouldn't go very far.  Versus right now, if I sell one at a reduced price of $105, that will last me longer and I'll have extras to keep selling.  Granted, people think they're overpriced at $105, and that's for a cage that would cost $300 new, WITHOUT the wood shelves.  I mean, I get wanting a good deal.  I do.  But this IS a good deal.  It's just not something-for-nothing.

Things really need to pick up....